I WATCHED IT MAINLY FOR THE YOUNG, NYMPH-LIKE BROOKE SHIELDS, nearly nude and just as nearly perfect. At 14, the actress stood a remarkable 5 feet 10 inches, dwarfing her 17-year-old male co-star and thus having to walk alongside him in trenches dug into the sand. Being very young also required Shields to maintain some modesty, having her hair glued to her breasts and swapping with a nude double, whose more mature physique sadly did her little justice.
While her co-lead Christopher Atkins gained a nomination for New Star of the Year at the 1981 Golden Globes, Shields in turn received a Razzie Award for Worst Actress. Her widely criticized jejune portrayal puzzles me slightly, taking into account the character's scarce resource for developing maturity or sophistication. Hence, the stunted, childlike manner of speech, thought and action. "San Farisco." I assumed it was all intentional.
There's the technical flaws too, and truly quizzical events, but I nonetheless enjoyed The Blue Lagoon for its simplicity, insights on gender behaviors, and obviously, for its bounty of visual inspiration.
The Blue Lagoon, 1980. Directed by Randal Kleiser.
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